14+ Memo Examples & Templates in PDF

In order to achieve harmony and unity within a company or organization, there should be a uniformed method on how to share information. A memo or memorandum is a document used to to communicate policies, procedures, or related official business. It has been defined as a written reminder, and in the same sense, it is used to remind and inform those concerned about decisions that directly or indirectly affect them.

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It is a form of official document that helps those in charge to impose certain rules and policies within the company or organization. It also sets finality in certain decisions which helps in making sure there is compliance to those concerned. Therefore, it is a vital factor in making sure that goals and objectives are achieved efficiently.

Elements of a Memo

Since a memo is commonly used to convey official rules, policies, procedures, decisions, and so on within the company or organization, it needs to be written in a professional manner. It needs to contain all the essential elements so that it can include all the necessary information. Here is a list of the elements that a memo should include:

1. Heading: The heading of the memo provides pertinent information about who sent the memo, who its for, when it was written, what it’s about, and so on. It is necessary to provide this element because it provides background about the memo and immediately tells the reader about the necessary information. Although there can be various formats for the heading, most memos follow this format:

To: Provides information about the recipient of the memo. It is usually addressed to the immediate head of a team or department.

Cc: Who gets a copy of the memo.

From: In order to provide credibility, it is necessary to provide who wrote the memo or from what department/agency it is from.

Date: When the memo was written.

Subject: In a few words, directly convey the subject discussed in the memo. For example, in a holiday memo the subject can be Upcoming Holiday or the exact date for the holiday.

2. Opening: When writing the opening of the memo it is important to include its context/problem, purpose, and the specific action. However, there should still be a brief introduction before diving deep into the other parts. The context should provide a complete overview about the event, circumstance, or background of the problem. For the purpose, write the reason why you have written and sent out the memo, and the task should describe what actions have been taken and what you would like those concerned to do.

3. Summary: The summary provides a recap of what you have already discussed in the previous parts of the memo. This is extremely important when you want to make sure your reader understands the gist of what has been discussed, especially when several important issues or events have been discussed or your analysis is somewhat complex.

4. Discussion paragraph/s: In order to provide further details and proof of your claims in the previous parts, the facts statistics, hypotheses, etc. should be provided in the discussion paragraph/s. It is best to start with the more important information first down to the least, and if necessary, use a numbered or bullet list for this.

5. Closing: When closing a memo it is important to remain courteous and professional. You should also indicate how actions should be carried out and specify how those actions can be of benefit for everyone.

6. Attachments: In order to help the readers better understand the event, issue, policy, and so on discussed in the memo, it is better to provide necessary attachments such as supporting documents. List the attachments at the end of the memo.

Business Memo Sample

Policy Memo

Supervisory Memorandum

How to Write an Effective Memo

Business memos or any memo in general conveys important information; thus, it is important that it is written well. To help make sure you write an effective memo, here is an easy guide you can follow:

1. When the word Memorandum appears on the topmost part of a document, it is automatically understood as a formal and final word or instruction about a certain subject. Thus, it is important to write a title indicating that the document is in fact a memo or memorandum.

2. Then proceed to writing the necessary information for the heading. Make sure you provide accurate information for the following sections: To, Cc, From, Date, and Subject. The credibility of the memo relies on the accuracy of the information you provide for said sections.

3. Since a memo is used to share information to a group of people (i.e. employees, students, etc.), it is important that you provide enough context and information about the subject being discussed. You need to clearly describe what is the event, situation, issue, etc. you are addressing so that readers can easily understand the gist of the memo. Make sure you provide accurate details and, if necessary, break down the subject into easily understandable sections.

4. Make sure that you clearly explain what you need to readers in order to help achieve the goal/objective or issue addressed in the memo. And if the subject is complex and the discussion has become detailed, it is best to provide a summary after the explanations. Formal memos ensure that analyses and other detailed explanations are provided, but this also means that there should be a recap to ensure the subject is understood perfectly.

5. After you have provided the necessary information, presented the facts, and provided supporting details, make sure you close the memo with a courteous closing. In the closing it is important to reiterate what actions are currently done to address the subject or issue and what you would like the readers to do on their part. You can also explain how you can make it easier for them to easier execute such actions and explain how following the orders will greatly benefit them. You can also check out office memo examples.

Tips in Writing a Memo

A memo needs to be written with precision so that crucial information can be shared effectively. Businesses and organizations usually use internal memos to inform within the company and organization about certain matters that affect a certain group or as a whole. To make sure you write a memo effectively, here are additional tips you can refer to:

Avoid using difficult words; do not use technical terms especially when the memo is for the company as a whole or general public.

Provide as much supporting data and detail as needed.

Using bold fonts to emphasize certain words or phrases is allowed.

Proofread and edit the memo accordingly before publishing/distributing.

Types of Memos

A memo can encompass a wide variety of topics; it can be a flexible document that can be effective in conveying an important message. This means there are also quite a few types of memos that you can use. Listed below are some of the types of memos:

Request Memo: When the writer wants to gain a favorable response or action from the recipient, he/she should write a request memo. Since its primary goal is to convince the reader to agree to the request, it should be written in a convincing manner with the use of persuasive words. However, before writing this memo, the relationship as well as perception of the recipient to the writer should be considered. You may also see management memo examples.

Confirmation Memo: To ensure that there is an actual proof to an agreement, a confirmation memo should be written. This confirms the verbal agreement and makes it official in paper form. This certifies that an agreement was reached with regards to what has been demanded or requested. The conditions of the agreement should be stated in the memo along with an encouragement for the recipient to ask for clarifications. You may also see proposal memo examples.

Ideas and Suggestion Memo: In order to send in ideas and suggestions regarding an issue or topic that has been previously discussed an Ideas and Suggestions Memo is used. It can also be the other way around, where management can use this memo to ask for ideas or suggestions from employee. Aside from that, it also provides information as to how ideas and suggestion should be submitted or collected.

Periodic Report Memo: As the name would suggest, this memo is distributed within a certain period of time. This provides information about the progress that has been made from one point in time to another. Most of the time, a memo template is used so that the writer can easily fill it out with the necessary information. This memo follows a report-like flow; thus, it should have numbers and graphics that present the progress about a certain project, task, or activity.

Informal Study Results Memo: In order to present the results of an informal study, a study results memo is used. Although there is a detailed document dedicated to put into detail what has been found out during the study, this memo presents an easily understandable breakdown of the document. This ensures that everyone involved/concerned can understand the findings even if they only possess basic knowledge about the topic.

Memo FAQs

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about memos:

What are the characteristics of a good and effective memo?

The effectiveness of a memo depends on how it is made. Thus, it is important to know the basics of how to make it the right way. In order to stay on the right direction in the writing process, here is a list of the characteristics of a good and effective memo:

Provides necessary and sufficient information

Does not assume that everyone is familiar with the subject discussed in the memo

Clear, concrete, and specific

Easy to comprehend

Explains with ease

Has no emotional appeal

What is the difference between a memo and a letter?

Most of the time a letter can be a short or lengthy document; however, a memo is usually short. But both are used to convey a message. In addition, a letter can be used for external communication while a memo is usually used for interoffice communication or is only used within a company or organization. Lastly, a memo can have a heading/title stating it is in fact a Memorandum, but a letter does not or should not have a title indicating it is a letter.